Developing relationships, preparing proposals and following through on commitments.
Find a useful fit
Lead the relationship
The Partnership & Development Director develops MFPC’s relationships with clubs, organisations, filmmakers, venues and other partners, writes professional correspondence and seeks sponsors in local communities.
Work with the directors whose programmes a relationship would support. Use this guide to turn a promising connection into a clear proposal and a manageable plan, with responsibilities agreed by the people delivering it.
Start with a specific need
Ask the relevant director what the programme needs, why it matters, when it is needed and what is already available. Identify the people, materials, space, services or funding that would make a practical difference.
Write a short needs brief with the purpose, scope, timing, responsible director and unresolved dependencies. Keep confirmed resources separate from support being sought. Agree a workable plan using confirmed resources while additional support is being arranged.
Research the organisation and contact
Look for a connection between the organisation’s work and the proposed activity. Read its official information, relevant past collaborations and any published process for sponsorship or partnership enquiries.
Record the organisation, reason for the fit, source link, date checked and appropriate contact route. Confirm the recipient’s role before writing. Check the team’s existing correspondence so that someone already speaking with MFPC receives a coordinated response.
Give the team clear tasks
Directors may approach general members first when recruiting smaller teams for their committee. Agree specific work such as researching a potential partner, preparing proposal material, maintaining records or supporting an agreed activity.
Give each task an owner, a useful output and an agreed date. Clarify who leads the correspondence and who can speak about the programme’s practical needs. Share the current brief and the information each person needs to do their work.
Shape the proposal
Make the request easy to understand
Introduce MFPC and the activity, explain why it fits this organisation, and state the support you seek, its intended use and the next step.
State the scope, timing and unconfirmed arrangements. Explain the need and estimate behind a sponsorship request, or each side’s possible contribution to a collaboration.
Confirm MFPC’s current recognition status with the presidents and describe its institutional relationships accurately. Check permission for any proposed use of another organisation’s name, facilities or services.
Describe benefits you can deliver
Discuss potential recognition or other contributions with the people who would deliver them. Check an offer’s scope, resources, permissions and relevant approvals before including it.
Use verified facts about MFPC’s programmes and completed work. If a proposal includes a number, explain what it measures and its date. Keep an estimate or target clearly labelled, and avoid promising audience size, attendance or promotional results.
Check commitments before agreement
Before committing MFPC, confirm who is authorised to approve the proposal and obtain the approvals that apply. Bring uncertainty about authority, conditions or responsibilities to the presidents.
Give the people reviewing the proposal a summary of the support offered, requested commitments, costs, timing, restrictions and work required from each team. Coordinate financial and practical questions with Operations and the affected director. Keep the agreed version and decision with the relationship record.
Write a focused first message
Address the appropriate person, introduce yourself and MFPC, explain the relevant connection and make one clear request for discussion. Include a concise proposal or useful supporting link when it helps the recipient assess the idea.
Use accurate names, dates and role descriptions. Check the material and attachments with the people contributing them, then keep a copy of the message sent. Agree the timing of any further message with the team, taking account of the recipient’s response and contact preferences.
Agree the work
Record the discussion
Keep dated notes of the organisation’s interests, questions, offered support and conditions. Distinguish an exploratory idea, an offer awaiting a decision and an agreed commitment.
After a substantive conversation, send a clear summary of what was discussed and what remains open. Ask the other party to confirm or correct it. Record the next action, the person responsible and the date for returning to the discussion.
Make each deliverable specific
Describe what each side will provide, who is responsible, when it is due and how delivery will be confirmed. Identify any information, approval, asset or resource needed first.
Check that the written summary matches the approved proposal and the other party’s understanding. Resolve differences before relying on the arrangement. Record support promised and support actually received separately so the programme team can plan accurately.
Coordinate the affected programmes
Discuss film projects with the Production Director, event needs with the Festival Director and radio contributions with the Radio Show Director. Each director can confirm the practical scope and what their team can deliver.
Give Operations the agreed resource, cost, timing and logistics information. Bring shared dates and dependencies to the people maintaining the programme schedule. Pass changes promptly to everyone whose work depends on them.
Prepare publicity together
Give Marketing the agreed organisation name, recognition wording, permitted logos or other assets, intended use and timing. Confirm the relevant permissions and publication approvals before material is released.
Check the details with the programme owner and partner as appropriate. Keep the final approved copy and assets with the relationship record. Where a post, acknowledgement or other item is part of the agreement, identify who prepares it and who confirms completion.
Follow through
Keep the tracker useful
Maintain one current record for each relationship: purpose, contact route, stage, latest discussion, proposed or approved commitments, support received, next action, owner and date.
Link to the current proposal, correspondence, decisions and delivery materials. Use clear stages such as research, conversation, proposal, agreement and completion. Review the next actions with the team and update the record when something changes.
Resolve changes early
If a date, resource or deliverable changes, establish what is affected and discuss workable options with the relevant director. Tell the Partnership & Development Director promptly when a team task is at risk.
Review any changed commitment with the people authorised to approve it before agreeing the revision. Communicate the resulting plan to the partner and affected teams, record the current version and make clear which earlier arrangement it replaces.
Complete the agreement
Check each agreed item against its delivery record. Confirm receipt of support and completion of MFPC’s obligations, using the relevant files, correspondence or publication links. Reconcile outstanding financial or resource records with Operations.
Thank the partner and address any remaining action with a named owner and date. Share a factual account of what was delivered and any measured results available. Record lessons that would help a future collaboration.
Leave a usable handoff
Leave the current needs brief, relationship tracker, correspondence, proposals, decisions, agreed deliverables, permitted assets and completion evidence in an organised working folder.
Explain which relationships are active, who expects a response, what is due next and where a decision is still needed. Introduce the incoming lead when appropriate and confirm who is taking responsibility. Keep account access and private contact information in the appropriate private handoff.